Recipes

Laurie Ellen Pellicano · NYT Cooking

This summertime snack is a spin on the Italian treat, brioche con gelato, which is typically served in hotter months for breakfast. This ice cream sandwich is made with actual bread — rather than cookies — landing this dessert in the not-too-sweet category. Griddling or grilling the buns with a butter-sugar finish adds a bit of caramelized sweetness. These are best eaten immediately, so have guests at the ready for assembling. The combination of still-warm bread, melting ice cream and strawberries is bliss.

Laurie Ellen Pellicano · NYT Cooking

Peak summer fruit is best prepared simply, especially in warm desserts like cobblers. In this recipe, the tartness of blackberries (or raspberries) balances the sweetness of yellow peaches (or nectarines), and the filling only needs the tiniest amount of sugar to get the juices flowing. Topped with a thin layer of fluffy cornmeal batter, the berries boil up to form juicy pockets, and a finish of raw sugar adds a satisfying crack. Serve this cobbler warm, or enjoy it any time of day, even for breakfast.

Krysten Chambrot · NYT Cooking

In many ways, the electric pressure cooker’s moist environment was meant for Indian food: It cooks dried beans quickly, sometimes without even a soak, and is conducive to saucier dishes like this dal. Adapted from “Madhur Jaffrey’s Instantly Indian Cookbook” (Knopf, 2019), this recipe is a relatively fast way to a rich, satisfying dish. You can make your own garam masala (see Tip), or simply use store-bought. Don’t skip the tarka: Thinly sliced onions are cooked in ghee until deep in color and then tossed with paprika and chile powder, adding a bright flavor that cuts through the rich dal. Serve it with Indian flatbreads, like naan, roti or parathas, though Ms. Jaffrey also recommends whole-wheat pita. Krysten Chambrot

Krysten Chambrot · NYT Cooking

These cookies were the result of a happy accident. (The best things always are, aren’t they?) When the peanut butter ran out, similarly creamy white miso stepped in. The other ingredients were tweaked to offset the miso’s savory character, and what came out of the oven was salty and sweet, crunchy and chewy. A brief stint in the fridge helps mellow the miso’s bracing brackishness, and a roll in Demerara sugar adds a subtle crunch that pairs well with the tender cookie.

Krysten Chambrot · NYT Cooking

These delightfully sandy cookies originated in Morón, in central Cuba. Some recipes call for only four ingredients: flour, shortening, sugar and lime zest. But this one goes a step further, adding salt and vanilla to amplify the other flavors. The shortening is essential here for the cookies' distinctive crumbly tenderness, though lard, which is also traditional, can step in. Pair a cookie with a little dulce de leche or guava paste, or serve them alongside a strong cafecito.

Krysten Chambrot · NYT Cooking

It’s not Christmas in a Puerto Rican household without coquito, a deeply creamy coconut and rum cocktail. Coquito recipes vary widely, but most include coconut milk, coconut cream, rum and sweetened condensed milk. Some have egg yolks, some don’t. Others skip the cinnamon in favor of nutmeg. This adaptation, inspired by an ice cream sold at Torico Ice Cream in Jersey City, N.J., skips the evaporated and condensed milks, which can weigh down a batter. Instead, it gets sweetness and heft from egg yolks, coconut cream and just enough sugar. Alcohol can also make freezing ice cream tricky, so rum extract steps in here for the traditional white rum, keeping it boozy without affecting the texture.

Krysten Chambrot · NYT Cooking

Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook of the Philadelphia restaurant Zahav found success with their hummus recipe, but in their second book, “Israeli Soul,” the two came up with this smart version, done in a fraction of the time of the original. It’s just as satisfying, and packed with tahini flavor, a given since it calls for a whole 16-ounce jar. The end result is nutty and smooth, and topped with roasted vegetables, a worthy weeknight meal. Krysten Chambrot

Krysten Chambrot · NYT Cooking

This recipe, adapted from a dish served at MeMe’s Diner in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, is a brunch power move. Eggs sit atop wilted greens on a bed of yogurt, all surrounded by seeded chile oil. The fresh yogurt cuts through the chile oil’s heat, and the seed mix adds layers of flavor and crunch. If you’re feeling lazy — it is brunch after all — skip the greens, or use everything spice mix and peanuts, for the seed mix. But don’t skimp on the chile oil: It’s the best part. Scale it up to have extra on hand for future use, or use store-bought if you like. (You’ll need about 1 cup for four servings.) Serve with toast, to sop up the extra oil. Krysten Chambrot

Klancy Miller · NYT Cooking

This cornbread hits all the notes, but skews particularly salty and savory, thanks to sautéed scallions, extra-sharp Cheddar, and bacon, folded into the batter and crowning the top of the cornbread. You can use fancy, thick-cut bacon or flimsier thin-cut varieties. Each has its benefits: Thinner bacon slices form a light, crunchy layer on the crust, while thick-cut slices have more presence in the cornbread. This cornbread belongs at brunch, where it pairs well with eggs cooked in any style, sautéed vegetables and even breakfast sausages, but it would also be at home next to a bowl of chili. If preparing for a crowd, you can bake this off a day in advance and reheat it in the oven just before serving.

Klancy Miller · NYT Cooking

It’s no wonder pancakes are a weekend staple: Their batter comes together in just 5 minutes using ingredients you’re likely to have on hand. Here, ground cardamom and fresh orange zest provide an aromatic boost that is sweet and addictive, but subtle enough that you can still pair your pancakes with any typical accompaniments. The recipe is plentiful enough for 12 full-size pancakes, or twice the number of mini pancakes if preparing brunch for a crowd. (As a bonus, the pancake base also doubles as a waffle batter.) A drizzle of maple syrup and a pat of butter are mandatory; a dollop of warmed orange marmalade or chopped Medjool dates would be rousing.

Klancy Miller · NYT Cooking

Cremini mushrooms and Parmesan star in this hearty tart, a comforting winter brunch or lunch when paired with a vibrant salad. Make the crust from scratch, and you’ll have two tart shells for the work of one — one for now, and another for later. Chances are you’ll want to make this tart again and again: It’s a relatively easy, make-ahead crowd-pleaser. But if you don’t have time (or energy) to make the dough, a store-bought pie crust will serve you well.

Klancy Miller · NYT Cooking

These sticky buns are positively habit-forming, with a winning flavor combination that’s a spin on the traditional cinnamon roll. Here, dates take the place of granulated sugar, pairing deliciously with orange zest and adding a sweetness that counters the salted caramel sauce drizzled on top. The lemon adds a slight tang against buttery brioche rolls. The dough comes together easily in a stand mixer, but can be done by hand if you’re willing to tackle some kneading (see Tip below). If this is your first time working with a rising dough, make sure to give yourself enough time (about 2 hours) for it to double in size.

Kiera Wright-Ruiz · NYT Cooking

Spam, the love-it-or-hate-it canned ham, was introduced in 1937 and gained popularity during World War II, when more than 150 million pounds were shipped to American troops overseas. Soldiers introduced it to locals, who used the product to create spin-offs of regional dishes like Japanese onigiri and Korean budae jjigae. According to Hormel Foods Corporation, residents of Hawaii eat more Spam than those of any other state. A popular way to eat it there is in the tradition of Japanese omusubi: Stack a pan-fried slice of Spam and a rice patty and wrap a piece of roasted nori around it. This version of the dish is adapted from “Aloha Kitchen: Recipes From Hawai‘i,” a cookbook of classic Hawaiian dishes by Alana Kysar. Kiera Wright-Ruiz

Kiera Wright-Ruiz · NYT Cooking

This classic Hawaiian dish is similar to Japanese hambagu, a ground beef patty topped with a ketchup-based sauce, but loco moco is heartier, served atop a pile of white rice, smothered with caramelized onion gravy and topped with a fried egg. People in Hawaii enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, dinner or any time in between. This version is adapted from “Aloha Kitchen: Recipes From Hawai‘i,” by Alana Kysar, a cookbook of Hawaiian classics. Kiera Wright-Ruiz

Kiera Wright-Ruiz · NYT Cooking

Now considered a classic Hawaiian dessert, guava cake was created at Dee Lite Bakery in Honolulu, where it became widely popular. This version is adapted from blogger Alana Kysar’s “Aloha Kitchen: Recipes From Hawai‘i,” a cookbook of traditional Hawaiian dishes. Outside of Hawaii and California, pink guava concentrate can be tough to find, but you can also use white guava concentrate or 100 percent guava juice. (If using juice, you’ll need to reduce it; see Tip below.) To mimic that lovely pink color, add a few drops of red food coloring. If you don’t, the cake will still taste like guava, but will look more like a vanilla cake. Kiera Wright-Ruiz

Kiera Wright-Ruiz · NYT Cooking

If you’ve ever walked through the streets of Los Angeles late at night, you may have been lucky enough to happen upon a street vendor selling bacon-wrapped hot dogs piled high with caramelized onions, sautéed peppers, pico de gallo, avocado, ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise. This version of Mexican hot dogs, also known as street dogs or Los Angeles hot dogs, is believed to be a riff on a similar recipe that originated in Sonora, Mexico. In Los Angeles, they’re sometimes fried on a mobile D.I.Y. griddle made with a wheeled cart, a large sheet pan and a heat source underneath, but we don’t recommend trying that at home. For this recipe, a standard sheet pan and an oven will do.

Kiera Wright-Ruiz · NYT Cooking

Horchata is a Latin American beverage that’s made by soaking nuts and grains in water then seasoning the mixture with sugar and spices. The drink originated in Spain over 1,000 years ago, but many countries have their own regional variations. This is an adaptation of a Mexican version, also known as agua de horchata, that’s made with rice, sugar, cinnamon and almonds, which provide rich flavor and texture, but leave them out if you like. Serve horchata over ice alongside a plate of spicy food — or try this dirty horchata recipe for a caffeine kick.

Kiera Wright-Ruiz · NYT Cooking

Horchata, a sweet cinnamon drink popular throughout Latin America, is typically made by soaking white rice in water, straining through a fine-mesh sieve to eliminate solids, if desired, then sweetening the liquid with sugar and cinnamon. But the horchata at Guisados, a chain of taco restaurants in Los Angeles, is different. It's made with whole milk and is served plain, or “dirty” with a shot of cold brew concentrate — and the chain sells up to 700 a day. This is an adaptation of its caffeinated version, and it serves a crowd. (You can leave out the coffee or halve the recipe, if you like.) Enjoy it with something spicy on a hot summer’s day. Kiera Wright-Ruiz

Kiera Wright-Ruiz · NYT Cooking

Yuca, also known as cassava, is a root vegetable used around the world to make many beloved regional dishes as well as flour, tapioca and even laundry starch. It is similar to the potato, but it is harder, has a thicker brown skin and has a tough fiber running through its center. It often has a subtly floral, lightly sweet taste. Here, yuca is boiled, mixed with loads of mozzarella, then fried until golden brown to make bolitas de yuca y queso, a popular dish in Latin America that is also known as yuquitas rellenas or bollitos de yuca. The crunchy panko coating complements the creamy, melty center. For this particular recipe, fresh yuca works best. Frozen yuca retains too much water and could make the bolitas too mushy to hold their shape.

Kiera Wright-Ruiz · NYT Cooking

Tamagoyaki, a Japanese staple, is made by carefully rolling several thin layers of cooked egg into a rectangular omelet, which creates a soft and delicate texture. Traditionally, it’s made in a special tamagoyaki pan, but this version also works with an 8-inch nonstick skillet. There are sweet and savory variations, and this recipe falls somewhere in between the two: The soy sauce, mirin and dashi pack it with umami, while the sugar adds a subtle sweetness. The technique can be challenging at first, but do your best to keep each layer consistent in color and each fold parallel to the last. Don’t worry about little tears; they’ll be covered up with the next layer.

Kiera Wright-Ruiz · NYT Cooking

Gyoza are plump, Japanese dumplings typically filled with a mixture of ground pork, cabbage, chives, ginger and garlic. They originated as a spin-off of Chinese jiaozi, but they differ in many ways, particularly in how they are wrapped: Gyoza have very thin wrappers sealed with signature pleats, while Chinese jiaozi have thick wrappers that vary in how they are sealed. Throughout Japan, you can find gyoza steamed, pan-fried and deep-fried, and in recent years, lattice-edged dumplings have become popular. Made by pouring a slurry of flour and water into the pan with the dumplings, the water evaporates and the batter creates a crisp, lacy net. This pan-fried version is adapted from “The Gaijin Cookbook: Japanese Recipes from a Chef, Father, Eater, and Lifelong Outsider,” a collection of Japanese recipes from the chef Ivan Orkin, an owner of two ramen shops in New York. (Instructions for creating a lattice are below the recipe.) Kiera Wright-Ruiz

Kiera Wright-Ruiz · NYT Cooking

Tender in the middle and crisp at the edges, maduros, or sweet fried plantains, are served as a side dish throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. Plantains change color as they ripen: They are firm when green and unripe, then soften as they turn yellow, and eventually, black. Like bananas, plantains develop more sugar as time passes. For the sweetest maduros, use blackened plantains — they have the most sugar, and will yield a more caramelized result. If you can only find yellow ones at the store, buy them in advance and be prepared to wait over a week for them to fully ripen. They’re worth it.

Kiera Wright-Ruiz · NYT Cooking

A staple dish throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, tostones are crisp, flattened plantains that are often served as appetizers and side dishes. Unlike sweet maduros, which are made with very ripe, almost black, yellow plantains, savory tostones are made with unripe green plantains. Tostones are fried twice: The first fry sears the cut sides of the plantains, establishing a base layer of color; the second fry ensures that every edge is golden and crunchy. Tostoneras, wooden tools designed to create the perfect tostone shape, come in handy here, but a flat-bottomed cup will do just fine in its place.

Kiera Wright-Ruiz · NYT Cooking

To find the best burritos in San Francisco, you have to go to the Mission District, a historic Latin American neighborhood known for its vibrant culture and food. There are many places there to get a good burrito, but La Taqueria, which won a James Beard Award in 2017, is a favorite. Miguel Jara, who emigrated to the United States from Mexico, opened the restaurant in 1973 because he missed the cuisine of his home country. Mission burritos are known for their giant size (about eight inches long), and are packed with a hearty serving of meat, beans, salsa verde, pico de gallo, cheese, avocado and sour cream. Most Mission burritos include rice as well, but Mr. Jara believes it takes away from the flavors of the meat. No garnish is necessary, but the aluminum foil wrapper is required: No real Mission burrito is served without it. Kiera Wright-Ruiz